Silent Heart
by ecb327
Summary: An AU Monchele fic in alternating POVs. This tells the story of Cory and Lea's relationship, her break-up with Theo, and their final relationship. Monchele and some Overgron! Discontinued as of 7.30.13, but R&R for more, I've been too emotional about Cory's passing to write more. RIP, Cory.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is an AU fanfic for Monchele. I know a lot of the content isn't consistent with actual events, and I probably don't have the facts down right, but this is for your entertainment only. Love it? Review! Hate it? Move on! Enjoy! **

I was having one of those moments when everything was so perfect that I felt sad knowing nothing in my life would ever be better than this. Wait, did I say perfect? Let me rephrase. "Perfect" isn't the right word because my attempts with Lea were hardly "perfect". In this moment, though, it felt right, so let's just say it was perfect.

Movie night. I know, I know, it sounds so cheesy. Which it was. But hey, what can we say? Despite the publicity and paparazzi and nominations, we were just people. Just any old 29- and 25-year-old. Enjoying _Love Actually_. Because that's Lea's favorite movie and I bought it a year ago, just for nights like these, when we had a break and nothing to do. Hm, let's see, what else do I know about her? Oh, yeah! That would be EVERYTHING.

"Cory, Cory, Cory, this is my favorite part!" squealed Lea, looping her arms through mine in excitement – so much like her onscreen character, yet so much more real.

"I know," I said, because I did.

She shushed me, then leaned comfortably into my side and motioned for me to watch the scene unfold.

I didn't, though. I watched her. God, I sound like a creep. But she was just so… so _Lea_. We'd only known each other for what, three years? Already I was – and though I hated the thought as much as I loved the feeling, I had to admit it – in love with my co-star. My character's love interest and, eventually, girlfriend. It should work out, right? I mean, I can't go a single day without hearing some rumors about "Monchele" and, obviously, the famed Finchel.

It was ideal. Even though Ryan, our writer and kind of our manager, strictly warned us against co-worker romances, I knew he wouldn't object too much. I mean, hadn't other girlfriend/boyfriend pairs done movies and stuff together? Even husband/wives? It wouldn't be weird or anything, I knew that much.

But there was Theo.

Lea's voice jolted me back to the present. "Cory, it's over. It's the credits." She stood up and stretched, brushing popcorn kernels off the front of her hoodie. I checked my watch: nearly midnight.

"You gonna go home?" I asked, shutting the TV off.

"I'm contemplating it," replied Lea, yawning widely. "But I'm just too tired! Mind if I crash here? I promise I'll be out of your hair by 8:30, tops. Breakfast on me? Chord and Di are going to that super-cute new breakfast place down the street. Heather might be coming too."

"Sure," I said, trying not to sound too eager. While I knew that we'd do nothing but talk and Tweet as we tried to fall asleep, it was something. Call me desperate, but if all I had with her were small moments, when we were getting interviewed or, like this, when I knew I was her best friend, then I'd take what I could get.

"Can we both fit in your bed?"

Whoa there. I'd assumed she would sleep in my bed, and I'd sleep on the couch like a gentleman. I shot her a look, taken aback.

"Oh, get that expression off your face," she said, rolling her eyes and messing up my hair. "Haven't you ever shared a bed with Shaun?"

"Well, yeah, but the thing is, _we're related_," I retorted, smacking her with a pillow and trying to hide my disappointment at the fact that she saw me the same way I saw Shaun: just a big brother. "Fine. As long as you don't snore."

"You're so insulting." She shook her head, then grinned at me. "Ask Dianna. She even said it on some interview – I don't snore. At all."

"Jeez, defensive much?" I dropped the popcorn bowl in the sink and headed towards my bedroom. "Theo won't mind?"

"Oh, please. He got over the fact that we're best friends like a year ago. Obviously nothing's going on between us."

If only I could feel that way about her. Instead, I picked her up, ignored her struggling, and tossed her onto the bed. "Cory Monteith!" she shrieked, pummeling me with her fists. "You're awful!"

"You love me though," I said teasingly.

"I do. I love you very much, Cory. Best friends forever." She leaned over and kissed my temple, a sisterly gesture I'd seen her do with Dianna. Before I could say anything else, she'd rolled over so her back was towards me, and was sound asleep.

Which left me with nothing but a crap load of what-ifs, unhappy endings, and empty hands.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for the encouraging reviews, guys! It made my day! I hope y'all enjoy this next installment. I'm aware my chapters are short, but I kind of like it that way; it's almost like his journal. What do you think about Dianna getting involved? Should she be interested in Cory? I don't think she would have ulterior motives, though. Will she figure it out and do some double agent work between Monchele? Should she be more involved in the story? Let me know what you think and keep reviewing to let me know how you like the story so far! 3**

It was always a tricky situation when we got the new scripts. I mean, it was obviously exciting to figure out what was next for our characters, but recently it had become slow torture. My heart did feeble back flips when I found scene after scene of Finchel material, and I found myself guiltily shooting Lea furtive glances. She had a totally professional attitude about it; every time she was interviewed, she graciously denied rumors of "Monchele" and, seizing my hand, said, "Cory and I are really close friends. Really great friends. But no, there's nothing going on between us, nothing at all." Beaming, she would look to me and I'd mutter something incoherent as the interviewer walked off to seek out Chris or Dianna.

"Cory," sang Lea, skipping over to me and wrapping her arms around my neck from behind. "Looking forward to rehearsal?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it'll be fun." I felt myself flush as I glanced at the script in her hand and saw that she'd highlighted the cue "Finn and Rachel kiss passionately, camera close-up". She always did that, when she had stage directions. Force of habit, I guessed, from Les Mis.

Di joined us, pulling up a chair and scooting to the side so Lea could sit next to her. They were two peas in a pod, so similar yet so different. Both beautiful, kind, talented young women, but Lea stood out to me. People always said Dianna was prettier, but I disagreed. Lea had a warmth that shone through to her brown eyes, unlike Dianna's soft nature. Not that I could've had her either, even if I'd wanted to.

"Are you two gonna rehearse again together?" she asked, scanning the lines that she'd highlighted.

"We'll play it by ear. I mean, we don't have any difficult scenes, do we?" Lea replied, gesturing at the script. "Just a lot of Finchel kissing, a fight, and we'll go to dance rehearsal all together." I winced at how casual she sounded, speaking as though she were just kissing any old guy. All I wanted in that moment was to be special to her, to hear the same emotion in her voice when she was talking about me as when she talked about Theo.

"You okay, Cory?" Di was scrutinizing me.

"Right. Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just tired today." Darn, what if she found out? Would she tell Lea? Why did girls have to be so smart?

"If you say so." She raised an eyebrow and glanced pointedly at her best friend, who was engrossed in the script. I vehemently shook my head, then stood, cleared my throat, and, stuffing my hands awkwardly into my pockets, announced, "I'm, uh… off to find Chord and Mark. Got a few questions for them. See you girls later?"

"Mhm." Lea raised a hand absent-mindedly.

"See ya." I felt Dianna's eyes on my back even as I escaped. What would Finn do? I found myself wondering. I'd gotten so used to switching back and forth between Finn thinking and Cory thinking that it felt like second nature to put myself in his shoes. He might go to Puck, but that was somewhat doubtful, especially since Puck had gotten his first girlfriend pregnant and made out with his current one. Sam? Well, there was always some competition between them.

Then it hit me, in a burst of Finn-esque realization. I ran up to the nearest crew member and asked urgently, "Have you seen Matthew?"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow, thanks for all the reviews and story alert additions! I'm so happy that you guys enjoy this story, I woke up in the middle of the night a couple nights ago and just started writing. **

Matthew was in his trailer, humming to himself. I knocked tentatively on the door and a few seconds later he'd sat me down with a glass of iced coffee.

"What's up?" he asked, shutting the door for more privacy. I glanced around nervously, used to crazy fans and publicity-seekers putting surveillance cameras in our trailers. Even innocent newscasters got on my nerves sometimes. "Don't worry," he reassured me, clearly understanding my worry. "I just had the cinematographer check. Nothing."

"Thanks." I took a sip of the coffee. Matthew was a great guy. I mean, he was only a few years older than me, so our relationship was more of a friendship than the mentor-mentee thing Finn and Will had going on. And he knew a lot about girls from multiple hook-ups on Broadway and his short-lived relationship with Chrishell Stause. "Um, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you."

"You got it, man." He smiled encouragingly at me. "What can I do for ya?"

"Well, see, I'm kind of in love with this girl."

"Wow! What's she like?" He looked impressed, since I hadn't been in very many relationships, and to his knowledge had never really been "in love".

"She's…" How does one start to describe Lea Michele? I faltered. "She's, like, really _really _pretty. Stunning. And she's this amazing person, so kind, and… and she's just… she's warm, and funny, and just… yeah." What else could I say?

"Interesting." Matthew ran his hands through his hair casually. He was such a laid-back guy. "How'd you guys meet?"

Here it came. "Uh…" Oh, god, was I really going to tell him? How could I trust he wouldn't run to Ryan in an instant? What would Finn do? He'd probably just jump, never mind where he ended up, and tell the truth. So I went for it. "I kinda… work with her."

Matthew's eyebrows shot up. "I see. And who might this young lady be?"

I ducked my head, feeling like a sheepish schoolboy once again. No, don't think of school… dropping out, drinking, mixing with the wrong people… I shut it out of my head. It was a miracle I'd ever even gotten this far, and yet here I was, backed up against a wall once more.

"Cory?"

Fine. "It's… it's Lea." Whoa, it felt really good to say that out loud, to finally admit it. "I've liked her since, like, last season at least. You've seen us together – we have chemistry, you gotta admit it!"

"Actor chemistry. Not real life chemistry."

"Come on, man, don't go all Mr. Schue on me. I just… I don't know what to do. I can't tell her, because then she'll think I'm a loser and never talk to me again and make the show awkward. I can't trust anyone to keep the secret, though I think Dianna's onto it, and if it gets out, both of us are totally and completely screwed. What should I do?"

There was a long pause. Then Matthew nudged the glass towards me. "Drink up, Cory," he said gently. "We'll figure something out."

Gratefulness shot through me. I raised my head. "So you won't tell?"

"Nah, Will wouldn't do that and neither would I."

"Dude, thanks!" I said, fist-bumping him. He was a good guy.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm flattered by all the story alert additions and positive reviews, thanks so much!**

Lea caught up with me heading out of Matthew's trailer. "Hey, what were you doing in there?" she asked. I shrugged, then gestured to the script in her hand.

"Rehearsal?"

She nodded. "In ten. So, how's the – " Her phone went off. "Whoops, sorry, I gotta take this – it's Theo."

I tried not to be bothered by it, but couldn't help wondering – would she have dropped everything if it had been me calling her? Now she was ambling off in the other direction of the lot, probably for privacy. Damn. I kicked the heavy tire of Amber's trailer. This was so unfair!

"Cory!" Dianna was jogging towards me. Great. "Hi," she said brightly, smoothing back strands of her blond hair. "So, uh. I have a question for you."

"Yeah?"

"What's up with you and – and Lea?"

"What d'you mean?" Crap crap crap.

"Well, something's clearly going on with you guys, and Lea's refusing to tell me, which is probably the first thing she's EVER refused to tell me, and… and yeah. So, I want to know if something's going on."

"Nothing's going on," I said flatly. "We're _friends_, Dianna. Probably always will be."

What was it with her, well, with girls in general? Their uncanny ability to sense that something's going on in a guy's mind? They weren't always right, but Dianna, sensitive as she was, seemed to have a knack for getting me.

"If you say so. But just so you know – "

"Yes, Di, I know. Co-worker romances are strictly advised against, blah blah blah."

She looked mildly hurt. "No, I was going to say that Lea's in a sensitive place right now, with Theo, and she didn't want anyone to know, but I'm telling you since we're both her best friends. So just be careful, be nice. She might need you more than you think."

What in the world was I supposed to say to that? I felt like Finn again, all bumbling and awkward and stupid when it came to love. "Uh… okay."

"I'm serious. I don't really care if – "

"Hey, Di! Hey, Cory! Sorry about that." Lea was out of breath and sounded off, but before I could do anything her phone rang _again._ She glanced at the screen, then up at the two of us, and then, with a little sigh, hung up on the caller. She and Dianna exchanged one of those girl looks while I stood there feeling incredibly dumb and out of the loop.

All our phones vibrated simultaneously; Chord had sent out a group text: **rehearsal, rm 3b, pronto! scene 4, cory & lea start. hurry, ryans in a huff.**

The three of us walked silently to the designated room, getting there just as Heather, Naya, and Jenna did. Ryan was sitting on a tall stool, pointing at people and yelling out instructions to crew.

"There, put it there, right there. No, there. Oh, Cory, Lea, Dianna, take a seat!" He jabbed the air rather vaguely. "Lea, we might have to switch up your singing part."

"Yeah, so I can have the solo!" called out Chris. "No offense, Lea."

Lea gave that laugh of hers, the one she gave when we were doing our _Teen Vogue_ shoot. She stuck her tongue out at Chris playfully, then turned to me. "Are you ready to rock and roll?"

"Wait, Lea's supposed to be wearing the necklace!"

"Oh, come on, Ryan, this is a rehearsal. It doesn't matter."

"No, it's important to this scene," he insisted stubbornly. Someone handed me the gold star necklace Finn gave Rachel. I looked nervously at Lea, who was checking her iPhone, and tentatively slipped the necklace around her neck, clasping it gently in back. She smiled up at me, all gorgeous long lashes and chocolate brown eyes. Not cliché at all (yes, I know that word. Finn doesn't).

"Phones! Off! Everyone in their places!" shouted Ryan. "And… action!"

And with that, we both fell into our characters, so comfortable it was like a second skin, and for a moment I felt like it was Lea who was curling up next to me and lacing her fingers into my hand, but then, with the plummeting drop of a reality check, I knew reluctantly that it was only Rachel.

**So what did you think of it? I have a few questions that I'd appreciate your input, or else I'll just do whatever I want, but I think you all deserve a say too. Should Dianna become more involved? Does she have feelings for Cory? Should she be on Cory's side and talk to Lea, or will she tell Lea? What other people do you want to see get involved in the story? Drop by and leave a review saying what you think of the story so far and also answering these questions. Thanks! Love you all 3**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for all the fave stories/author additions and stuff! Keep up the reviews and I'll keep up the writing! Remember that this is an ****AU**** fanfic, so I'm 100% sure most of the personalities of the cast members are inaccurate. However, this is just for fun, and I'm having so much fun writing about Monchele! And I'm only 14, so I'm not an amazing writer or anything haha. In this chapter, Lea finally has a slightly bigger part towards the end. So do you think I should switch to Lea POV next chapter? Read and decide. Reviews make my day! 3 Enjoy.**

A couple weeks later, nothing had changed. It was the same old routine: rehearsal, shooting, then a few days off before starting all over again.

Lea and I texted and called regularly, but it wasn't enough. I mean, I got butterflies every time I picked up my phone and "1 New Message(s) From Lea" popped up. I listened to music constantly, thought about her all the time, silently cursed myself for being so in love with her. Why didn't she feel the same?

Dianna became more involved. Eventually, it was a mutually-silently-acknowledged fact that she knew and I knew she knew about my feelings for Lea. The few times I hinted verbally at it, she refused to get involved. At least she wasn't like Quinn, who would most certainly try manipulating me and sabotaging Lea.

Matthew didn't say much about it, either. A few times I would go into his trailer for a coffee or a slice of pie, and we'd just chat about Lea. He was a good listener – super nice, super supportive – but didn't offer much advice. I grew to realize that this was a battle I would have to face on my own. Because the truth is, no two relationships are the same. Nobody that I knew could ever fix my problem, since none of their relationships were ever similar to mine with Lea.

People posted on my Formspring, through email, everything, about "Monchele". was home to a large amount of said couple's stories. If only, I thought. If only Monchele existed. But Lea continued to deny it, and I felt nothing coming from her. Matthew was right in the first place: at least on her end of the things, our chemistry was acting-related. People had chemistry with each other; they had to, to make _Glee _successful. Dianna and Chord, Jenna and Harry, Kevin and Heather, Mark and Naya, Chris and Darren. But as actors, we learned early on that sometimes it was just that – chemistry. Not a relationship, not love, just some type of attraction free of attachment or real emotional depth. Wow, I actually sounded pretty intelligent there!

I held a wrap party at my place after the first half of the season was over. We chatted, watched TV, pigged out, all that good stuff. Like a big happy family. Note the partial sarcasm in my tone. But really, Lea notwithstanding, we _were_ happy. Unfortunately, we could also all read each other like books. Exhibit A: when we all gathered around the table for cake, Dianna caught my eye and wiggled her eyebrows when I unthinkingly slipped my hand over Lea's as she cut the cake. Exhibit B: Heather, in true Brittany form, leaned over and whispered "My cat thinks you're in love with Lea" when we were watching the gag reel from our first season. Exhibit C: Chord kept casting me suspecting looks when I continued to sit next to Lea at every opportunity.

And things just deteriorated throughout the evening. By half past ten I was trying to ignore Lea, who was now looking utterly bewildered as to why I'd stopped talking to her.

Dianna, Heather, and Amber pulled me aside after Lea stormed into the next room to call Theo.

"Cory," Dianna said sternly. "Sit." She pointed at the loveseat behind me, and I sat instantly. As a dude, when three girls are standing akimbo and ordering you around, you gotta do what they tell you to.

"Look, it's gotten pretty obvious to us that you're, you know, you like Lea," Amber said, forehead wrinkling up. "We just wanna make sure you understand the situation."

"Yeah, since there's the minor drawback that she's engaged," Heather chimed in. "Sorry."

"What are you gonna do?" Amber asked. "You can't pull a Finn and sing a duet with her and ride off into the sunset."

"Guys, I know, okay?" I was rubbing my hands on my jeans, a nervous habit I'd always had. "I – I don't know what to do. I can't seem to get over her, but I don't want to ruin her relationship with her fiancé if she's happy with him."

The three young women exchanged looks. Why do they always do that? "Um, we're not so sure things are going well with them," Amber said, looking concerned.

"They've just been out of sync lately," Heather explained. "Sometimes it happens with couples. Especially close ones like Thea. Or Leo. I was never sure what their couple name was."

"That's beside the point, Heather," Dianna said, half-smiling at her. "Anyway, I guess we could…"

Lea burst in. "Di, there you are! We were gonna – oh, it's you." The expression that crossed her face was unreadable. "I'll just wait out here. Never mind." She backed out of the room like it was on fire, then slammed the door shut.

"Anyway, we could talk to her for you. If you want. If she decides to end things with Theo, we can find out how she feels about you."

"Guys, are you serious?" Part of me didn't want to know, but the other, larger part did. What went through Lea's mind when I walked into the room?

"I'm not too thrilled about going behind my roomie's back, I have to be honest. But…"

"We feel like you two are really good together," Heather finished. Amber glared at her. "What?"

"We weren't going to tell him _that_ and, like, get his hopes up," she hissed.

"Our point is, we don't want drama or too much involvement. But since we're curious and kind of nosy people, and since Heather's right about you two being good together, we're going to ask her. But don't expect too much. More likely than not the outcome will be that she'll never see you that way, in which case you're on your own in terms of trying to get over her."

"Understood. It's a deal. Shake?"

They all nodded, and I shook each of their hands.

"Now that all that awkwardness is over," Heather said, "we should probably go back to the party before people think we're having a foursome." We all looked blankly at her. "Come on, I was joking. Sorry my humor's just not good enough for you," she added, mock-hurt. "Apparently it's good enough for a hugely popular comedy drama that we're all part of, though."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, Heather."

"Cory, you're kind of obsessed with me. It's cool. It's understandable. Let's be friends."

"Yes, let's," I said, laughing and feeling marginally better. She grabbed my hand and swung it, then did some fancy dance thing towards the center of the room. I followed her, grinning. I was about to ask her what she thought was in store for Brittany next week when I felt eyes on me. Turning around slowly, I found Lea glaring at Heather, then flushing when she realized she was being watched, tripped on the carpet, and stumbled out of the room, head in hands.

Jeez. This day could not get any weirder.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I opted for Lea's POV for this chapter! Sorry, I've had the rest saved in a document for awhile but just haven't gotten around to posting them. More reviews mean more chapters! Thanks for your support! 3**

What just happened? I perched on the back stoop of Cory's house, feeling like my head had been mixed up in a industrial-strength blender. These feelings were familiar, yet different. I was accustomed to looking at Theo with another woman and feeling itchy with jealousy. Not Cory. Besides, Cory and Heather? I knew nothing was going on between those two. So why did I want to punch Heather in the face when I saw her holding Cory's hand and giggling with him?

The door opened quietly behind me. I spun around, hastily wiping the tears of frustration from my eyes, but it was my best friend.

"Hey," she said in that soft, slightly nasally voice I knew so well. "You okay?"

I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "Yeah, I guess."

"Lea, I'm just going to cut to the chase." She hesitated, then plunged in, "Is this about Cory?"

What? "I… Dianna. I'm _engaged_."

"…Which we all know isn't going well whatsoever." She looked at me, her blue eyes tender and kind. "Come on, Lea. It's probably natural."

"I'm not saying I'm in love with him! Jesus. Maybe it's just from acting with him for so long that I don't really – that my character – that – that.. oh, I don't know, Di. I guess I… maybe, possibly, I have feelings for Cory, okay? But he's _clearly_ not interested in me."

"That's what you think," Di replied quietly. She reached fondly for my hand, cradling it in her soft one. "You're like my sister. We're like twins. Always together. Meant for each other. I love you and I promise you, I would never advise you to do anything that wasn't going to end well. But if your feelings for Cory are so strong that you're sitting here and crying, well, maybe it's time for a change."

"Dianna, I can't just break off my engagement with Theo. It isn't that easy."

"Oh, I know."

I leaned onto her shoulder. "Should I go back in there?"

She nodded, pushing her hair out of her face as she stood up. "Go get 'em, Lea."

I kissed her cheek. Only with her could we exchange so few words and yet resolve an entire issue – namely, that of what was going to happen with me and my on-screen love interested. "Thanks, Di."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: And, back to Cory. Please review and let me know what you think so far, and also what you want to happen next! I can focus on a different couple for a little vignette if I get requests for it. Thanks! 3**

Lea walked in as Heather was trying to teach me to dance. The second I saw her small figure slip into the room I all but dropped poor Heather on her head. She was game, though, and merely readjusted her ponytail, took a seat, and grabbed a slice of pepperoni pizza.

"Cory." Lea looked shy, something I hadn't seen in her since the first day we met.

"Lea," I said, breathless. "Um, what's up?"

"Nothing." We stood there awkwardly, maybe five feet apart, when Lea, her eyes flickering briefly over to Dianna, tugged at my hand. "Cory, can we… talk?" she asked, licking her lips nervously.

"Sure." My heart was leaping around in my throat – this could be it. This could determine whether I won or lost. "Here we go." It was my old drumming room. The drum kit was in some warehouse on the set, but the sentimental value of the place was still there. I shut the door, muting the noise from my living room, and motioned for her to take a seat. We sat across from each other on sagging ottomans: not the ideal location for whatever was going to happen next.

Lea shivered, wrapping her arms tightly around her shoulders. "I need to talk to you."

"Talk away."

"Do you… how do you feel about me?"

Great. Was I really about to embarrass myself, to ruin my friendship with her? But we were best friends, and we needed to be honest with each other regardless of consequences, that much I knew. "I… I really like you, Lea. As more than just a friend. You're like, so beautiful. And I'm in love with you, I guess. I really hope it doesn't make things awkward between us or – "

She leaned forward and kissed me.

Wait, what?

There I was, in the middle of my hurried speech, and the love of my life, one-sided as that may be, leaned forward and _kissed_ me.

It wasn't a Finchel kiss. Those kisses were staged, and though I felt something, it was masked under the directions crew were shouting out and the fact that we had to do it over and over again, to get different angles.

This was a real kiss. From Lea Michele to Cory Monteith. A real, true kiss. And I won't gross you out with the details, but it was amazing. And it wasn't just a peck; it lasted for awhile. My hands came up to cup her face, and she kept kissing me. You know how Finn, when he kisses Quinn after he's dumped Rachel, sees fireworks? Yeah, well, that's how I felt. Of course I didn't _see_ fireworks, but I felt them. It just felt so right, like a hallelujah moment or something. When the guy finally gets the girl, and vice versa. Tingles, the good kind, were spreading through my body, like a hot drink was seeping through my veins. It was so perfect.

We finally broke apart after some time, and Lea's eyes were glazed over. One tear slowly made its way down the edge of her face, and I lovingly swept it away with my thumb. "Theo," she whispered, looking miserable. My heart broke.

I moved so I was sitting next to her, her lithe frame leaning against my Frankenteen body, and wrapped my arms tightly around her, lips nestled in her hair. "It's okay," I murmured, unsure as to what else I could say.

"Cory, that kiss was real."

Euphoria shot through me. So I wasn't the only one. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it?"

"But what about – I'm engaged, Cory. I…"

"Have you ever felt that way when you kissed Theo?" I asked, trying not to spit out his name.

"No," she answered immediately, looking up at me and planting a light kiss on my jawbone. "I never have."

"Then there's your answer."

"I can't just dump him! He'll want a reason and if I tell him he'll freak out at you, and it'll just be bad."

"Dude, I can handle a freak-out. All I want is to be with you," I confessed. "Like, that's all I think about, is being here with you. So let your soon-to-be-ex-fiance freak out at me. I can handle it. What I can't handle is if you end up with him, all because you're such a moral person you can't stay with me, the guy who's always been here for you. You've gotta admit it, Lea. We're just so… right."

"Yeah," she concurred softly, burrowing her face in my neck. "Yeah, we are." And with that, she gave a little contented sigh and fell fast asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This time I decided to try a little Dianna POV. I am not an Achele shipper, but I do think their friendship is remarkable and sweet: more than just best friends, better than sisters, more solid than romance. If you know what I mean. Let me know how you feel about it, and what you want to happen next! Sorry it's taken so incredibly long to post a new chapter; I was away from my laptop for a while. Also, for all Monchele fans, LEA AND THEO BROKE UP! I'll be integrating that into the next chapter!**

"Dianna, where's Cory and Lea?" asked Ryan, shouting over the large karaoke machine Jenna and Naya were playing around with. Mark was chatting with Kevin by the kitchen as they pigged out over the last pepperoni pizza, and Heather, nearly as ditzy as the character she played, was doing some dance-like spins in the center of Cory's living room.

"Erm… I'm not sure," I replied, hurriedly trying to cover up the fact that I had an inkling what might be going down in Cory's old drum room. "I think they're rehearsing together."

Ryan gave an amused smile, like he was the adult and we were just little tweens. "Talk about dedicated to your work!"

"That's one way to put it," I muttered under my breath, flashing him a brilliant smile and taking the opportunity to flee. Thank god he was so oblivious.

I grabbed a Pepsi from the cooler by the basement and gently tapped on the door to Cory's oh-so-sacred-and-sentimental drum room. "Hey guys," I said, "um… it's Di. Can I, like, come in? You busy or…?"

Cory's voice was husky. "Yeah, come in."

I slipped into the half-dark room. Light fell across Lea's face, so relaxed and unlike the creased forehead and wrinkled nose I was accustomed to seeing next to me every night. She had dozed off sitting with her legs in Cory's lap, fingers intertwined, cheek against his shoulder. And Cory was sitting there with a truly Finn-esque expression on his face: dumb-founded.

"I was – we were talking and she just – I dunno." He gestured helplessly towards her sleeping body. "We weren't, like, doing anything."

"Cory," I said strictly.

"Fine, we kissed. And it was amazing. It was like, so awesome. I think she likes me, I really think she does."

I took a seat across from him. "What are you gonna do?"

"About?"

"Theo, Ryan, everybody. Trust me, the rest of the cast has seen this coming from a mile away. The crew, not so much. And, of course, Theo, who just happens to be her _fiancé."_

"Buzzkill," Cory responded, pretending to pout. "No, seriously, I have absolutely _no_ idea what I'm going to do. All I know is – is that right here, with her next to me, it's like, all I need." He gazed at her upturned face, a look so full of tender love that I felt self-conscious being there. "She's so beautiful, Di."

"I know," I said softly. Lea was my best friend. We looked out for each other, no matter what. If she needed me at 3 in the morning, I'd be there, no questions asked. I loved her in a different way from Cory, but that didn't mean I loved her any less. "She is."

Then, sensing that they (who am I kidding? _He_) wanted his privacy, I leaned forward and pecked Lea's cheek, then tip-toed out of the room, carefully closing the door behind me. When I straightened up, half the cast was staring at me, arms crossed.

"What's going on in there?" Chord asked, trying to open the door.

"N-nothing," I stammered, blocking him from the doorknob. He crossed his arms, determined.

Heather and Amber exchanged haughty looks; they knew what had happened. Naya, who was laughing at Mark, stopped when she saw the serious expression on everyone's faces. "Whoa, who just turned the temp down by fifty degrees?" she asked. "What gives?"

"We're pretty sure Monchele is happening," answered Chord, pointing to the door I was guarding, "and that Dianna is involved."

"Hey, guys, what's going on?" It was Matthew, who joined our little throng.

Jenna turned to him. "Cory and Lea are doing something in there, and Di is, like, their bodyguard or something."

"I'm going to pretend I'm not included in this drama and I'm gonna leave," he said immediately, turning around.

"Hold it!" Mark grabbed him by the arm. "You obviously know something."

"Hey, man, I've seen enough romantic drama on Broadway. I don't need it here."

"Guys, can we just move into the living room?" I asked, shooing everyone out of the way. Of course, that's when Cory decided to appear, his face immediately falling once he saw everyone staring at him.

"Hi…" he said. "Um, what's up?"

"Bad timing," I hissed at him.

"Where's Lea?" asked Heather.

"Still asleep," he replied.

"You were 'rehearsing', were you?" Naya wiggled her eyebrows.

"Guys, stop," I ordered as Cory flushed red. "Oh, look, it's almost midnight! Guess we should leave."

"Fine." Reluctantly, they began packing up and departing. I was heading into the drum room with Cory when I got a text from Chris: **Just so u know, this so isn't over yet. Kurt hummel will get 2 the bottom of this ;)**

I texted back a quick **good2no. cu tmr. gnite 33 **and shut my phone off.

"Hey, Lea," I whispered gently, shaking my best friend and tugging at her hair. "Wake up. Party's over."

She opened her eyes blearily. "Oh. Okay."

"Ready to go back to our place?" I asked, amused by how disoriented she looked.

"Sure." She stood up, stretched, and looked shyly at Cory. "Hey."

"Hey," he replied. She glanced at me. "It's cool," he said, opening his arms. She buried her face in his chest and I half-looked away to give them privacy.

"I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early," she said softly, running a finger gently over the contours of his face. "Call me later."

I could feel his eyes following her like some sort of magnetic force even as we walked out of the room, arms linked together. She remained silent while I turned on my Audi A4 and backed out of Cory's driveway. A few miles into our short route home, she reached for my hand, pulling it onto her lap.

Staring ahead at the road, I knew without a doubt what she was thinking. Now, everyone knew about her and Cory, and there was no doubt that craziness was bound to ensue as a result of that. I squeezed her hand back and we drove the rest of the way, lost in our thoughts but bound together by the same what-ifs.

**Review review review! Love you guys!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Does anyone have any requests for other cast shippings? Heya, perhaps? Obviously I won't do Achele, but I'm one hundred percent willing and eager to focus on another couple for a chapter or two, just to spice it up. Leave a review and let me know what you think! :P This chapter is Lea POV again, but if I get requests for Dianna/any other cast member I will gladly follow through.**

Di and I woke up to the sound of my radio alarm clock blasting Cory's and my rendition of _Faithfully_. Funny, because my iPod was on Shuffle with thousands of other options, and it chose that particular song. I thought the Apple gods were against me – or with me, depending how you looked at it. How _did_ I look at it? Events from the previous night came back to me in a rush, and, slightly dismayed, I fell back onto my pillow and covered my eyes with my hands.

"Come on, Lea," Dianna said through a yawn. She shook me and slid out of bed. "Time to get ready. It's almost 5:30."

"Ugh," I complained, rolling slowly out of my cocoon of blankets. "It's too early."

"I know, I know." She opened our closet and tossed me a tank top and pair of jeans. I put them on and went into the bathroom, where I quickly swiped on eyeliner and mascara and brushed out my hair, pulling it back into a ponytail. Then I headed to the kitchen to make some toast for us.

As I was reaching for the peanut butter, my phone rang. A photo of Cory and me showed up on the caller ID. Pulse quickening, I answered,

"Hey!"

"Hi," he said, sounding like an awkward little boy. I almost laughed.

"What's up?" I grabbed plates and handed one to Di as she came in. "It's a little early, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess. I just really wanted to talk to you."

I bit my lip. Didn't he see how hard he was making it for me, to deal with Theo and him at the same time? I mean, I was obviously in love with him, but… Theo? What was I going to do?

"Cool," I said.

"Um, about last night…"

Dammit! "It's okay. We don't need to talk about it," I replied quickly. Too quickly. I could practically _hear_ his face fall.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Was it – do you not – I'm really sorry, Lea."

Cursing myself, I cleared my throat. Di was wiggling her eyebrows at me and I vehemently motioned for her to leave, which, being my best friend, was ignored. "Look, Cory, I… what happened last night was real. I'm just a little worried about what's going to happen, you know, with Theo and stuff."

"It was real? Last night? I didn't, like, imagine it?"

Oh, Cory. Always the eager little schoolboy. "Yes, silly, it was real," I said, shaking my head at Dianna, who gave me a double thumbs-up and left to put on make-up.

"Good. I didn't want it to be…"

A triple beep signaled call waiting.

"Hey, I've got another call coming through – can I text you later?"

"Sure. Um, bye."

"Bye," I said, then switched to the other caller. Theo. Talk about bad timing. With a sigh, I answered, "Hi there."

"Hi, Lea," he said. "I'm headed to work soon, but I just wanted to give you a ring."

"Yeah, yeah, no problem," I said absently. My mind rather unhelpfully skipped back to Cory. He was so achingly adorable, so sweet to me. I was happy with Theo, but…

"Are you okay? You sound a little, I don't know, off?"

"No no no, I'm fine," I said quickly. Dianna was shooting me warning glances. "I, uh, actually have to run, so I'll talk to you later, 'kay?"

"Okay. Love you!"

I choked out an insincere "love you too" and hung up. Di came over and wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm sorry, Lea," she said quietly, nestling her chin in my shoulder. "This is really bad."

"No duh," I said, staring into space.

"You know what you have to do, though," she added.

"Yeah." I had to somehow go to rehearsal, see Cory without being tortured, and figure out how exactly I was going to end my years-long relationship with the first man I ever fell in love with. Rachel Berry might be able to do all that before breakfast, but I was just Lea Michele. What was I going to do?

**So, that's it. I know it's short but I hope you enjoyed it! Review review review! Let me know whose POV you want it to be next! Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! I'm so so sorry that I've been gone for so long. Life has just been... life, and I've been busy. However, it's summer and I'm super psyched to start writing for you all again!**

**I got a request for Lea POV when she breaks up with Theo, so that's what this is. I AM SO HAPPY MONCHELE IS FINALLY REAL! I think we all called it.**

**Hope you enjoy! Review review review!**

Dianna wouldn't leave me alone the rest of the week. I loved her, but we could certainly get on each other's nerves, mainly because she had the uncanny ability to know me better than I knew myself.  
>I continued to come up with reasons not to end things with Theo. As things became increasingly stressful, I started nervously spouting out pros and cons to her during dinner, watching TV, and working out at the gym.<br>"The press would have a field day," I tried to explain. "Theo and I have been together for so long." Di just looked at me. I squirmed uncomfortably, then blurted out, "I'm scared to, okay?"

"There it is," she said triumphantly, spearing a piece of penne pasta with her fork. "Lea, you've got to admit it. You want to break up with him. Whatever you guys had just isn't there anymore. The only thing stopping you is being scared."

"I just don't know what I'm scared about," I said, ripping up a piece of garlic bread in frustration. "I guess… what if things don't work out with Cory? Then I'll have lost two amazing guys."

"Hm," said Dianna thoughtfully, handing me a napkin to wipe off my now-greasy hands. "Have you talked to Jonathan lately?"

I realized I hadn't. How strange was that? He's my absolute best friend and I love him to death. "No, actually, I haven't," I admitted. "We've both been so busy. We played phone tag for awhile but then just fell out of touch."

"So call him. He's good with relationships. You know I'm really not." She reached for my plate and went over to the granite island, starting to rinse them off.

"Of course you are," I reassured her. "Besides, you're still amazing at everything else," I added, smiling at her. She really is a beautiful person, inside and out.

"Enough with the flattery," she said, laughing and flicking a dish towel at me. "Skedaddle."

"Okay, okay," I said, and went to call Jonathan.

After we hung up, I begrudgingly recounted our conversation to Dianna. Essentially, he had the same viewpoint, sagely pointing out that as scary as it is to take chances, I didn't want to miss a potentially life-changing relationship. While I thought it was a dangerously broad statement, I had to agree. Cory and I had spent the past few years constantly with each other. I think sparks flew the second we met: the look on his face mirrored the feeling I got in my chest. Neither of us wanted to admit it, so we remained respectfully non-romantic. I just love him, in a way I never loved Theo.

"So I was right," Dianna said, smirking slightly. "If Jonathan says so, then it's official. You said yourself that you don't trust anyone's advice until he gives his. Well, the stars have spoken, and you're going to break up with Theo. You know it's what you want. I wouldn't push you if I didn't think it was the best move."

"I don't want to hurt him," I fretted, but I couldn't stop thinking about Cory. Cory Cory Cory. All those moments we had… that one kiss in his old drumming room… the jokes, the laughs, the interviews… the Tweets, the texts, the Skypes, the phone calls… the time that Theo and I had a huge fight and the only person I wanted to hold me was him, and even though he was 60 miles away and it was snowing he made it to my house and stayed there until one in the morning, when I had stopped sobbing.

"Lea. You and Theo have been out of sync for a long time. You barely talk anymore! And I know it's because he's busy, but, well, have you thought that maybe he's not feeling it anymore? Besides, you guys could have a perfectly amiable break-up. Like me and Alex."

Alex Pettyfer. I had to grin, thinking about that. They were so cute together, and he really was a sweetheart, but that hadn't lasted. And it was true that they still texted a couple times a week, she was invited to some of his parties, and everything was completely civil.

But Theo and I had been together for so long. I just didn't know what to do.

Di handed me my phone. "You're going to do this," she said firmly. "Or I'll do it for you."

Fingers trembling, I obliged. It was time. So I called him. He picked up on the last ring, sounding frazzled. "Hello?"

"Hi, Theo," I said. "Um… we need to talk."

He sighed. "Do you want to break up?"

Completely taken aback, I stammered, "I – I don't know. Can we just grab a coffee tomorrow and chat?"

"Sorry," he said hastily. "I've just – my life has been crazy and busy and I assumed since we never talk…"

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine. Sorry for springing this on you."

"Anyway, coffee tomorrow sounds fine. Are you free around eleven?"

"Hold on." I checked my calendar, then confirmed, "Yep. I am."

"See you then."

"Bye." We hung up, and it wasn't until fifteen minutes later that I realized we hadn't said "I love you".

**So I know this isn't the full break-up yet, but I thought this part was important. The next chapter will contain their break-up and Lea/Cory finally getting together. Let me know how you liked it. Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**This is Lea's POV. I don't know much about their split, but I didn't want it to be messy, so bear with my optimism. Realistically I am aware that most break ups are not this clean and friendly.**

We met at the coffee shop we spent almost every Sunday at. When did that stop, anyway? I don't know. It felt like forever.

When he walked through the door I tried to piece together my feelings. They just weren't there anymore. I looked at him, and felt fondness and familiarity, but no spark. No chemistry, no urge to throw myself into his arms and love him.

"Hi," he said, striding over to where I was already seated at our usual table. He hesitated, then hugged me. I returned the hug, but it felt alien, like a cousin or relative hugging me at a reunion.

"Hey," I said.

"Let me just get a coffee and we can talk." He gave a brief, cursory smile and waited in line.

I sat there, wondering what was about to happen. Dianna texted me: **U can do this! I love you xx call me when u guys r done meeting. **I didn't bother to respond; I was sure I'd go running back home the second our talk was over.

Theo returned with a slice of coffee cake and cappuccino. "So," he said. "How've you been?"

"Okay," I replied cautiously. _Not really_. "I mean, I'm fine, I guess. Busy with work. How about you?"

"Same here, same here. Want a bite?" He slid the coffee cake over to me. I shook my head.

"No thanks." I realized suddenly that we always shared a coffee cake when we were here. God, how long had it been?

"I'm going to be blunt and honest here," he said, carefully setting his coffee back onto the table after taking a sip. "I'm not feeling this anymore."

A rush of gratitude swept through me. "Me neither," I said.

"Really?"

"I just… I care about you, Theo. I always will. But I don't think I'm in love with you anymore."

He looked mild at this proclamation. Then he nodded. "I understand. I don't think I am with you, either. I think… we've had a good run, and it was great, but our relationship hasn't gone anywhere in a long time. Hell, we barely talk anymore."

"I know," I said ruefully, picking at the edge of my blouse. "I don't know how that happened."

"I guess… if we still loved each other like before, we'd have made an effort, even with our busy schedules. But I don't think about you all the time like I used to, and I don't think you do either."

"Yeah," I said in agreement. "So… is that it?"

"I just have one question. It's about Cory, isn't it?"

"What?" Had someone told him? Dread pooled in the pit of my stomach.

"You're in love with Cory, aren't you." It was a statement, and to his credit he didn't look angry. He's such a decent guy. I know he'll make someone very happy.

"I… I think I am," I admitted.

"It's okay," he said, looking almost amused. "Obviously I'm a little hurt that you didn't tell me sooner, but it's fine. As long as you didn't cheat on me."

"Actually…"

"What? Oh no, Lea, you didn't, did you? That's… that's not okay."

"We didn't have sex," I clarified. "We kissed. Once. That was it."

"Did you feel anything?"

I paused. How could I even describe what I felt when I was kissing Cory, a real kiss? "Yes," I said simply.

Now he looked upset. "Why did you – I knew that we were going downhill, but I thought you'd at least have the decency to wait until we were broken up! I didn't cheat on you, even though I knew you probably wouldn't care."

He was right. I wouldn't have cared. I felt like a horrible person. "I'm sorry, Theo."

"I just need time to process this." He was silent for a moment; I watched him anxiously. I'd watched him so many times, but never like this. We'd had petty little couples arguments, of course. Those were expected. He never got angry at me otherwise, though. "Okay. You know what? The past is the past. It's… okay. The principle of cheating on someone you've been engaged to for so long is what bothers me more." He paused. "I just don't want to be that passive-aggressive guy who holds a grudge and can't move on from a break up. I still think you're a beautiful, talented young woman, and I'm going to support you."

"Thanks," I said softly. I so didn't deserve him. "You too. You're incredible, Theo, and you're such a great guy. And I promise when you find the right girl, I'll come to your wedding."

He laughed quietly. "Only if you promise to bring Cory, and if you guys aren't married yet, catch the bouquet."

I leaned over and kissed him, once, on the cheek. "Thank you," I said again. We both stood up.

"Cory's a great guy, too," he said. "And I don't blame him one bit for liking you."

"Thanks." Good lord, I was being redundant.

"I'm sorry, but I have to run. I'll see you… later." He gave me one more smile and departed. I saw him walk outside and run into a woman. She was pretty, with light brown hair and sparkling hazel eyes, and as I turned away I saw him look at her the way he once looked at me. With a small, nostalgic-but-not-hurt sigh I glanced at my phone. Di had texted me again, but all of a sudden I realized she wasn't the person I needed to talk to. I'd call her later.

I grabbed my car keys and sped over to Cory's house.

**There you have it. Lea and Theo's break up. Tell me what you thought. I'm thinking that the fic might end soon, with the next chapter detailing her and Cory's relationship, but if you have ideas for furthering the plotline let me know in the reviews! Thanks!**


	12. Chapter 12

**This is still Lea's POV. Sorry for not updating sooner, I am **_**so**_** busy it's ridiculous, and I have four other fics I've been writing like crazy! Anyway, hope you like it!**

Cory wasn't at home. Disappointment heavy in my chest, suppressing my racing heart, I jumped back into my car and dialed Dianna's number. She picked up on the first ring, saying urgently, "Did you do it?"

"Yeah," I said, flopping against the driver's seat in frustration. "We're all good."

A sigh of relief. "Thank god. What did I tell you?" I could practically hear her I-told-you-so smile.

Rolling my eyes – oh, Dianna – I backed out of his driveway and started going towards the main street. "I know, I know."

"So what did he say?" she pressed. Ugh.

Distracted, I said vaguely, "It was mutual." To be honest, I couldn't care less about it in the moment, and quickly asked, "Do you have any idea where Cory is?"

Understanding this, Di answered, "Nope. Call him!"

I shook my head, envisioning the situation. "If I call him I'm just going to fall apart and be all 'I BROKE UP WITH THEO LET'S GO FALL IN LOVE SOMEWHERE'! I don't want to ruin the effect! No, I have to wait until I see him in person."

"There's nothing wrong with saying that," Dianna said, "but I get what you mean. Okay, I'll text him and ask where he is. Hold on." There was a short pause, then she spoke up, "We'll see if he responds. Whoops, he just did. Ha!" She laughed.

"What? What?" I pulled to the side of the road, too jittery to keep driving.

"Get this – he's almost at our house. He was gonna come ask if you wanted to do something today."

Panicked, I yelped, "What am I supposed to do now?"

"I'll tell him you're not here, but to hang around a little 'cause you'll be home soon."

"Okay. Okay." I took a calming breath. An awful thought occurred to me. "Di – what if he doesn't like me anymore?"

Silence.

"Di?" I tapped my phone case anxiously. "Hello?"

"_Really,_ Lea? 'What if he doesn't like me anymore'? Please tell me you're not that stupid."

Relieved that she was still there, I said defensively, "It's a legitimate concern!"

"If it was anybody but you and Cory, yes, but you guys are… perfect. Seriously. Just think about the way he looks at you. The way you look at him. You're meant to be. You love each other. Need I say more?"

The butterflies in my stomach calmed for a moment. She was right, wasn't she? He was my Finn. When we were apart, all I wanted was to be together again. He was always there for me, always there to hold me no matter what. We had movie nights that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. I watched him talk, walk, laugh, and thought every time, _Oh, there you are_. We were dorks; we could goof off and be gross around each other and it was just another way to say I love you. The first day we met, I looked at him and felt an unbelievably strong connection, like I'd finally found something I didn't know I'd been looking for but desperately needed. It had only grown from there, and when I said I adored him it was the truth. Our love was unspoken, but undeniably there. God, I loved Cory.

And he loved me back. I was going to have doubts, but at the end of the day, I knew he did. It was conveyed in every moment we had together. Every laugh, every lopsided smile, every time we made eye contact. He loved me the most when I deserved it the least. He truly did. Hard as it was to leave Theo and believe that somehow, this relationship would work, I knew deep down that it would. When two people love each other like Cory and I, the relationship will work no matter what the odds, no matter what the obstacles.

Did Dianna need to say more?

"No," I said softly. I started up the engine. "Okay, I'm coming."

**I know, I know, I'm dragging it out. But I'm in a rush right now and I want their – well, not reunion, but their getting together, I guess, to be really great. And right now I don't have time for writing a really good chapter, so thank you for your patience and definitely let me know in the reviews what you thought or what you want to see next!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry it took so long to update! I've been busy at camp and my other fics. However, broadwaybound24 gave some awesome suggestions that put a smile on my face, so the story will continue as per their request. To shake things up a bit, this is Dianna POV.**

I told Cory to wait at our house as Lea would be home soon. He agreed, and we spent ten minutes chatting amiably. While he and Lea have always been the dynamic duo on set, I love him like a brother and I _did _play his love interest for a reasonable amount of time, after all.

The doorbell rang as we were surfing around YouTube. I assumed it was Lea, and told him quickly to answer it before scurrying into the kitchen and lurking behind the pantry door. Okay, I know I sound like a Monchele fangirl, but you have no idea how long I'd been waiting for this to happen.

"Um, Dianna?" called Cory from the living room. I cautiously snuck a peek and saw the back of a familiar white-blond head.

Chord turned around and grinned at me. "Hey," he said, opening his arms for a hug.

Suppressing my disappointment that he wasn't my roommate, I invited him in as well. Cory skulked around awkwardly in the corner, nervously tapping his foot.

Chord flopped down on the couch, patting the spot next to him. "So, what's up? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

I laughed. "It's been less than two days."

"Yeah, I told you, I haven't seen you in forever." He smiled at me, laying his arm across the back of the couch. It wasn't quite touching my shoulders, but it was close enough to distract me slightly.

Telling myself to calm the hell down, I shoved his arm playfully. "Shut up!"

"It's true, it's true!" he insisted.

I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "So two days classifies as forever in Chord world, huh."

He laughed, grabbing my hand. "When it comes to you, yeah."

Suddenly shyness overcame me. Here's a tip for all you aspiring matchmakers out there: when caught up in matchmaking for your best friend, don't let it get to the point where you stop dealing with your own feelings.

Okay, I'll admit it. I'd had a sort-of crush on Chord since the first day we met. I mean, come on, just look at him. His eyes… his face… his abs… yeah, you get the picture. But I always kind of assumed that it was a little something that would turn out to be nothing, like a camp crush where you think the cute guy from out of town is really hot and you fantasize about it for a week before crashing and realizing he's not as attractive as you first thought.

Except that didn't happen, as was blatantly evident by the fluttering in my stomach when he looked at me like that.

We were still making nervous, awkward eye contact when Lea texted me, saying that she was parking. I told her that Cory was here, but so was Chord. She responded with a winky face and a "what should I do?" Geez, it seemed like everyone knew about my thing for Chord except me.

"Hey, um, Chord," I said in an undertone, glancing over at Cory, who was discreetly checking his hair in the mirror. "So… Lea and Theo broke up, but Cory doesn't know yet."

His eyes widened. "Got it. Is she here now to bring him the news?"

"Yep. Smartypants."

He shrugged. "What can I say?" God, he looked adorable. Had he done something with his hair?

I forced myself to focus, clearing my throat. "Anyway, uh, we should probably skedaddle." As much as I wanted to watch Monchele's reunion unfold firsthand, I wasn't about to go hide out in a probably uncomfortably cramped space with a guy I'd just realized I had a crush on.

He winked at me reassuringly, then stood up, clearing his throat. "Di and I are going to go grab a coffee," he said, putting an arm around me before quickly letting it drop. I felt myself flush and texted Lea back saying, "the house is all yours!" as I reached for my jacket.

"Wait! Di!" Cory tilted his head at me, an unspoken question. I nodded and patted his elbow (he's too tall for me to reach his shoulder).

"Good luck," I said.

"Thanks," he muttered, peering through the window. I watched his face light up when he saw Lea, and, smiling to myself, followed Chord out the door.

**I hope you liked that little Overgron interlude. I've always been neutral about that ship but I'll admit I'm getting some Overgron fever and it's fun to write about something other than Monchele. I know I'm dragging their reunion out, but I did really like broadwaybound24's idea, as I didn't know how I was going to keep the story going.**

**Let me know what you thought/any other ideas in the review section! Thank you for all your support.**

**And there will be more updates very soon, I promise! I have a bunch of pre-written chapters but I'm going to dole them out gradually.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! So, instead of having it end with them getting together, I'm going to add a little bit of a twist since one of my readers suggested it. There's gotta be **_**some **_**conflict, right? Obviously, though, Monchele will end happily ever after.**

**Cory POV.**

The day Lea told me that she and Theo had broken up was the best day of my life. The day I thought she'd cheated on me was the worst. And hey, guess what? They were within three days of each other.

I was waiting anxiously inside her and Di's apartment when she walked up. She had her key and was about to stick it in the lock but I threw the door open for her.

Looking surprised, she gave me a cautious smile. "Hey," she said.

"Hi," I replied. This was awkward. Things were never awkward with us. Why was this awkward?

She jerked her head towards the living room couch. Apprehensively, I sat down next to her. Something big was going to happen, I could almost feel it. Dianna had practically told me so, and why else would she and Chord speed out the second Lea got here?

"So what's going on?" I asked.

She took a deep breath. "Cory… Theo and I broke up."

It was like a huge weight lifted off my chest. Relief. I like to think I'm a pretty decent guy, and having a crush on – nay, being in love with – a girl who's got a fiancé was eating at me. It just felt uncomfortable, and wrong, considering what a great person Theo is. Now at least "MonChele" was a possibility… right? The unspoken question hung in the air.

"We ended it fine," she added. "Um, we're going to be friends and everything. But, uh… I just wanted to tell you."

I didn't know what to say. She ducked her head, biting her lip and twisting the hem of her shirt between her hands, hair falling gently over her face. God, she was beautiful. When she looked up at me with those big brown eyes and helpless, what-do-we-do-now look, I did what any remotely reasonable guy would do in my position: I kissed her.

If I thought our kiss in my own drum room was magical, this – this wasn't tied down with the aftertaste of the fact that she was engaged. This wasn't a catch 22 with hidden threats, this was the true Superman of kisses.

People come in and out of your life for a reason. Chance takes over, and you realize that most of your old friends and enemies were there just by chance, and they leave without making much of a dent in your life. That's how it is with half the Glee cast, or the cast of any movie you make.

And then there's the small handful that are put there with you so you can hold onto them, cherish them, as best friends for life, or at least the next several years. But the rare few – heck, the rare _one_ – are people who are _made _for you. It's not a question of maintaining a relationship. The idea of dropping them or not talking to them is absurd. Never, in a million years, could you go without being with them, not even for a day.

For me, that person is Lea Michele.

After we broke apart, she tugged my arm around her shoulder and leaned into my chest, giving a little sigh.

"You okay?" I asked.

She thought for a moment. "Of course," she replied, looking up at me.

"Cool," I said. "Then, um, I need to ask you something."

She sat up, pulling out from under my arm. "What is it?" she asked, alarmed.

I laughed and pulled her back over to me. "Relax. Gosh. Okay, here goes." I rubbed my hands together, as if preparing for a huge, rehearsed marriage proposal, and asked, "Lea Michele, will you go out with me?"

Her face completely lit up. I wanted to preserve that moment forever. I mean, how often does the love of your life look at you with as much love as you feel for them?

"Yes," she said.

So that was the best day of my life. I mean, we'd hooked up (sort of) before, but this was the real stuff. We were in heaven, and unfortunately, it showed. The media blast that all of this caused was freaking _insane_. I mean, c'mon, people.

Look, I like being a star and all. I love what I do. But to be honest, it does get kinda tiresome, not being able to walk down a street without screaming fans and obnoxious paparazzi yelling out your name and the most random things: "Cory! Hey, Cory! How are ya, man? What's your favorite movie? What's your favorite ice cream?" "How's it goin'? Cory, look over here. Cory!" "CORY!"

You get the picture. Ha, that was a pun. Oh man… I'm such a dork sometimes, it's a miracle anybody wants anything to do with me.

Anyway.

After shooting one day, I ran around looking for Lea. We had a casual dinner date planned out and Di was going to be third-wheeling, as usual.

I finally found Chord hanging out with Heather and Dianna in Matthew's trailer.

"Hey, man," Chord said, fist-bumping me. "What's up?"

"Nothing," I said distractedly. "Have you seen Lea?"

Di looked up sharply. "No, she left right after we wrapped."

"Dammit." I took a seat begrudgingly. Heather slid a paper plate with a piece of pizza across the table to me, saying sympathetically,

"Greasy cheese and stale crust makes everything better."

I laughed ruefully. "Thanks, Heather. Where's Matthew?"

"Ryan dragged him off for an impromptu rehearsal with Jayma." Chord paused. "Everything okay?"

I didn't know why I was getting so aggravated. Geez, it wasn't like Lea was my property. I just didn't have a good feeling about this. I mean… I don't know.

I ate the pizza, wondering why my girlfriend had disappeared and was now failing to respond to my texts. Mark stopped in, looking for Naya, and then left.

"Did you try texting her?" suggested Chord. I nodded.

Di sighed. "Nobody can tell me anything," she snapped.

"What?" I exchanged confused glances with Heather.

Dianna slid out of her seat and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the edge of the table and looking me straight in the eye. Calculating. That look that girls get when they've got information they know you want to know, but can't decide if it's worth it. Finally, groaning, she said, "Okay, look, I know where Lea is."

"What? Di! You have to tell me now!" I scooted closer to her. "Come on."

"No," she said. "I can't tell you, okay? You'll take it the wrong way and freak out and you just need to let her do her thing! If you become all crazy and jealous when you guys have been official for literally less than 72 hours, well… that doesn't bode well."

"Does Chord know?"

She shook her head, glancing at Chord, who, I realized, had been sorta staring at her. Well, okay then.

Heather stood up, pulling her hair into a ponytail and yawning. Chord took a seat next to Di and shrugged.

"Sorry, bro," he said.

"Can I just say that I think you're overreacting?" said Di in exasperation. "Look at you! You're all broody just because your girlfriend doesn't text you about her every move. She'll be back in time for our date."

Chord's head snapped up, one hand frozen in a bag of Doritos. "_Our _date? What?"

"Oh, no," she said, realizing what that had sounded like. "I'm third-wheeling."

"Oh." Chord looked taken aback, then said slowly, "Well… the fourth wheel is what makes it a car.

Dianna raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Heather was cracking up. "Oh, man, that was so bad," she said, grinning. "I don't even have the words."

"_What?_" pressed Di, looking confused.

"He's asking you out," said Heather helpfully.

"Shut up!" said Chord. "No, I'm not, I promise." He paused, trying to read Dianna's expression. "Or… I am. Am I?"

She turned away abruptly, but I saw the smile that spread on her face. "If you want to fourth-wheel, you're welcome to."

"So now that that's all straightened out," I said loudly, "Di's going to tell me where my girlfriend is."

"Cory, you're almost _too_ in love with her," said Heather. She checked her watch and did one of those dancer stretches where you grab your ankles and pull on your calves. "I'm off to rehearsal, but I recommend you take a chill pill between now and your date tonight." She grabbed a water bottle from the mini-fridge. "See ya."

"I am _not_ too in love with her," I protested to her retreating back. Okay, that was a bit of a lie.

"Fine." Di pulled out her phone and was texting furiously. "She's with Theo – _but_," she raised her voice before I could say anything, "it's not like that. They're not… I mean, they're just talking things out."

"Talking things out?! I thought they did that, you know, when they _broke up!_" I said, hearing my voice raise but unable to stop it. If Theo and Lea got back together… if they reunited… okay, Heather was right. A chill pill would be nice.

"Whoa, no need to yell at Di," Chord said defensively.

"I'm not yelling." I lowered my voice. "Sorry. I just don't get why… Theo's a good guy. Don't get me wrong. But he and Lea were engaged forever, and I'm sorry, I don't love the idea of them hanging out together. Alone."

"They're not _alone_," said Dianna. "They just went out for coffee again."

"_What?_" Coffee meant getting back together, everyone knew that. When two exes "get coffee sometime", it _means_ they're getting back together, or at least one of them wants to. I didn't have time for this.

I grabbed my keys. "Thanks, Di," I said half-sarcastically, and went out to my car.

**So, I'm stopping there, since I want to switch POVs, but let me know what you thought! I know that Cory's jealousy may seem uncharacteristic in many ways, but I'm kind of combining his character with Finn's and although I have no doubt he is a great boyfriend to Lea, I dunno, I thought there ought to be some conflict, and some worry that she might get away. So please don't, like, rag on me or anything for sticking that in there :) **

**As always, thank you for your support and views and reviews, it means the world to me! I will get a new chapter up as soon as I can!**


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